Starter issue or what?

[jallenaz]

98% of all other people out there don't know about this either. Air cooled, got to keep the fins clean.

I have my original owners manuals and I see you are correct about it saying to remove the shroud to clean the fins. It says every 100 hours to do it so I probably thought I didn't need to worry about it right away. Didn't know how dirty it would get then.

 

[slomo]

I have my original owners manuals and I see you are correct about it saying to remove the shroud to clean the fins. It says every 100 hours to do it so I probably thought I didn't need to worry about it right away. Didn't know how dirty it would get then.

Yearly or in your case every 6 months. Only takes a few minutes to clean her out. Blow off after every mow. Direct the air up inside the engine cover.

 

[nacl9163]

Had a similar problem w/ my JD riding mower. Discovered that the tiny hole in the top of the gas cap got plugged; mower would start and run, then gradually die since pressure couldn't equalize. Blew it out w/ compressed air--bingo!

 

[SamB]

I assume you like the DB Electric starters that are cheaper than I found a Kohler starter. The new replacements from Kohler have 9 teeth instead of 10 for more torque they say. But $50 more. I'm going by my Tractor Parts Manual part number.

My 2 cents here. I have purchased several electrical items, starters, alternators, etc from eb electrical and have been satisfied with all of them

 

[mcHarley]

Yes, it is possible there is not enough fuel flow. Open the fueltank and leave open when the engine is running. It is possible if there is not enough air going into the tank then the fuel will stop flowing after a while. When you start the engine after a while, the engine will run for a short while.

 

[tempforce]

bingo, a restricted fuel cap. next time it stalls, just remove the cap and put it back on. should start right up... not a starter issue, replace fuel cap....
good idea to clean mower monthly, if a mower is used more than bi weekly, clean fins as needed. winterize fuel in the fall, used non ethanol fuel..

 

[jallenaz]

Yes, it is possible there is not enough fuel flow. Open the fueltank and leave open when the engine is running. It is possible if there is not enough air going into the tank then the fuel will stop flowing after a while. When you start the engine after a while, the engine will run for a short while.

We will find out when it's running again.

 

[Kenneth]

I have a similar dust problem here. I use a leaf blower for a quick clean, just to remove the 2 inches of dirt, and sand. Then compressed air for the rest, making sure that I blow out the filter also. Then hose it all down with the water hose. Let it dry in the sun, turn off the fuel, then drive it into the barn. It runs out of fuel just about the time I get it parked.
Since it's already mostly clean, then it doesn't take much water, and the whole process takes less time than it took for me to make this post.

 

[lbrac]

It's dirty under the shroud but I don't think it's so dirty it would cause it to over heat. The fins don't have any dirt caked in them. Mostly just a thin layer of dirt everywhere. I'm cleaning it off anyway. Cleaning under the steering and control rods behind the engine. Lots of dirt piled up in there. I almost wish there was more dirt on the fins so I could clean it off if it was an over heating problem. Do you think there is dirt behind the filter that is causing it to not get enough air? I can maybe get that apart. Anything else I should look at?
Thanks for your time you are putting into this.
View attachment 64203View attachment 64204View attachment 64205

In the lower picture, I see a parting line on the intake manifold, where the molds join together during the plastic injection process. Is the flashing at the parting line that misaligned, causing a shadow in the picture, or has the manifold split open at the parting line? Does the air filter have a cover/air box that covers the filter to deflect dust (could it be part of the cowling that covers the engine)?

Original K&N filters use oiled cotton fabric gauze to filter the air. They now make some with synthetic gauze that are used dry. See

Washable Air Filters, Cabin Filters, Cold Air Kits & Oil Filters | K&N

Shop replacement K&N air filters, cold air intakes, oil filters, cabin filters, home air filters, and other high performance parts. Factory direct from the official K&N website.

www.knfilters.com

or more info on cleaning (and re-oiling the gauze, if appropriate). After cleaning, inspect the gauze before use, looking for tears. When there is a lot of dust, blowing the entire mower off after use with compressed air or a leaf blower is recommended. Concentrate on cleaning the filter area to prevent dirt from entering the intake when the filter is removed. If needed after use, rapping the filter on a tire will remove excess dirt. K&N filters actually filter better with a thin layer of dirt on the surface.

 

[jallenaz]

In the lower picture, I see a parting line on the intake manifold, where the molds join together during the plastic injection process. Is the flashing at the parting line that misaligned, causing a shadow in the picture, or has the manifold split open at the parting line? Does the air filter have a cover/air box that covers the filter to deflect dust (could it be part of the cowling that covers the engine)?

It looks like it might have split open at that line. Never having had the shroud off I wouldn't know if it's always been that way. I did notice it looks like a small piece has chipped out of the edge of the parting line. That is shown at the very edge of the picture. It might be time to replace the manifold?

Original K&N filters use oiled cotton fabric gauze to filter the air. They now make some with synthetic gauze that are used dry.

The K&N filter I have is used dry. That makes the washing simple and easy. It's worked for a few of years but maybe I should have replaced it by now. They can't last forever I suppose.

If needed after use, rapping the filter on a tire will remove excess dirt.

I've had to stop several times during a mowing to knock the excess dirt out of the filter or I won't make it back to the house.